Parents with a Disability project
Mpower has been funded to run a twelve month pilot project targeting Parents with an Intellectual Disability (PWID).
Mpower has been funded to run a twelve month pilot project targeting Parents with an Intellectual Disability (PWID). Conceptualised and developed by Angela Alexander with enthusiastic agency support, the successful funding proposal was presented to the Department of Human Services after several months of research.
The project is now very active. Mpower is working with a holistic approach - empowering parents, raising community awareness and strengthening service provision through information sharing, collaborative practice and resource pooling.
A key aspect of the PWID project is a weekly peer support group, TAP (Totally Awesome Parents). The group addresses parent-identified key issues including social isolation, parenting skills, home environment and budgeting by brainstorming and clarifying issues and possible solutions.
The group engages in discussions, interactive surveys and whiteboard activities in a fun and relaxed atmosphere with volunteer assistants. This leads on to practical activities, workshops and role playing. Parents practice parenting skills in a safe environment. Resources are developed with input from all group members, including a monthly parenting newsletter and safety tip sheets.
There are many ways to be involved in and support the project. A monthly stakeholder email newsletter is available by request. Contact Angela for more information on: aalexander@mpower.org.au.
This is a good news story from a DPV member. Send in your good news story (up to 200 words) with a photo to info@dpv.org.au, and share your achievements with others in the sector. We reserve the right to edit stories for publication.
